“I think I’m beginning to understand why my wolf is so captivated by the way you say his name. Your voice is beautiful**he could listen to you talk for hours. Are you a fan of winter, mate?”
“I enjoy all the seasons,” I said thoughtfully. “It’s just uncommon to see snow like this**so pure, clean, and untouched. Does it stay this way long around here? It never did back home.”
“That depends on…” Ryker began, but before he could finish**
“AHHHHHHHHH! You’re going down!” a sudden shout cut through the air.
“Umpf!” Ryker yanked me to his side just as a blur zipped past us. A cloud of snow exploded into the air as Bennet and Danny collided in a playful skirmish.
“That,” Ryker chuckled behind me, “is what I’m talking about.” I couldn’t help but laugh too. You’d think these grown men would have outgrown snowball fights and wrestling in the snow, but clearly, I was mistaken.
Josh strolled up beside me, shaking his head with a mock scowl. “Fucking children,” he muttered, though the amusement in his eyes betrayed his words.
“Too good for a snowball fight, Beta?” I teased, ducking as a rogue snowball whizzed past us.
“Never, Luna,” he replied with a grin. “But like any fight, there’s got to be some strategy.”
“Isn’t the strategy just to have the most snowballs and get hit the least? There’s not much more to it than that.”
“Did I catch a challenge in your voice?”
“Maybe,” I admitted, “but I’m smart enough not to challenge you before I see what you’re capable of. You’re a sneaky fighter**I bet your throw is wicked, and your aim deadly.” It was cold out here, and I wasn’t dressed for snow play**my jeans and sweater wouldn’t hold up for long. But standing here on the deck next to Ryker, I felt perfectly comfortable.
“Luna… Incoming!” Danny shouted.
Instinctively, I grabbed Ryker’s shirt and spun us around just as I heard the soft thuds of snow hitting his back, and tiny flecks of snow dusted my face from over his shoulder.
“I see how it is,” Ryker laughed, looking down at me.
“You still owe me. It’s only fair,” I said with a shrug and a smile.
He tightened his arms around me. “As long as you keep looking at me like that, they can keep throwing snowballs at me all day.”
Thump, thump, thump. He pulled me closer, his shoulders curling protectively as the snowballs continued to fly.
“Quit hogging Kennedy! Don’t you remember she’s still mad at you?” Danny called out loudly, breaking the snowy silence.
“You’re not doing yourself any favors either. She’s only sticking close to me to get away from you, you fool,” I shot back, feeling a mix of amusement and irritation.
“Whatever. She’s on my side now. She even dared Josh to a snowball fight,” Danny bragged.
“I did not!” I peeked cautiously around Ryker’s broad frame, only to be hit by two snowballs flying straight at us. I let out a startled squeak and ducked behind him again, heart racing.
Ryker chuckled, shaking his head. “I think I’m going to take your Luna inside for some food. We can’t have her freezing out here**gotta keep some meat on those bones.” He gave my side a playful pinch, making me squeal once more. “Besides, she’s starting to shiver. Unlike you two hotheads, she needs an extra layer.”
“Hothead? You’re the king of hotheads!” Danny protested, stepping back onto the deck with snow clinging to his hair and a wide, boyish grin lighting up his face.
“I’m not a hothead. I just have a low tolerance for nonsense,” I said, laughing now.
“Come on, let’s eat. I’m starving!” Danny wrapped his arm around my neck and tugged me forward, pulling me out of Ryker’s protective hold. “Then we need to figure out our plan for the day.”
Breakfast passed quietly, though I made sure to sit with my back to Amy. Her glare of pure hatred didn’t waver for a second. I wasn’t scared of her, but the intensity of her stare was definitely distracting. Just as we were leaving, Amy tried to catch Ryker’s attention, claiming there was an urgent matter that couldn’t wait.
I swear Robin must have some kind of sixth sense for drama in the packhouse. She appeared out of nowhere, ready to take the appointment and get the details, allowing us to slip away without any hassle.
As Ryker led me down the long, quiet office hallway, I turned to ask him a question and realized we were alone again. I had no idea when Danny and the others had fallen behind. Before I could speak, Ryker opened a door I hadn’t even noticed before.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.